Adam Fominaya

I am a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Much of my research has focused on people with stigmatized identities with an aim toward encouraging self-determination, increasing autonomy, and increasing access to services and support.

Thank you for backing our work! We completely agree. Much work has been completed on disclosure to families, but you're right that disclosure doesn't always lead to understanding. Others in my lab have been working on a project called Honest, Open, Proud that works to help people make disclosure decisions (should I disclosure? If so, to whom?) from a self-determination perspective. The program can also help people to be successful in disclosing, couching it in a way that is likely to elicit a favorable response. I've been extremely impressed with their work. And, I think we'll be able to tie our results from this study to that work as disclosure decisions in the workplace may be improved by a similar program.
http://www.comingoutproudprogram.org/

Kirsty,
Thank you for asking this! We ran into a logistical issue that is forcing us to sample only in the United States for this project. That said, I am dedicated to international research especially with regard to this topic. Work can look so very different in Singapore than Kenya than Detroit. Eventually, international samples will be necessary and that is one of the directions this research needs to go. It is my hope that the findings from this study will support that future study by giving it a launch pad, new (more precise) measures, and a better framework for understanding the relevant issues at play.